The Effect of the Expanding Digital Landscape on the Professional Wrestling Industry

The expanding digital landscape has had significant impact on the professional wrestling industry. The focus of this post will be:

• how websites ruin suspension of disbelief
• how wrestlers try to use the digital landscape to enhance their characters
• how the internet has benefitted smaller wrestling promotions

Professional wrestling relies on viewers being so absorbed in a storyline that they forget the outcome and stunts have been previously coordinated. However, this willingness to suspend disbelief has been harder for professional wrestling to maintain since the Internet era has began. The ever-expanding digital landscape now includes websites dedicated to digging up every professional wrestling secret. Websites like wrestlezone and bleacherreport give fans up to the minute information about every aspect of the major professional wrestling companies. Things that were once regarded as sensitive information in order to make the industry as realistic as possible can be found on multiple sights across the digital landscape. Whether it be announcing injuries to wrestlers before the company can address it on TV, providing a deep analysis of the direction the company is headed in, or the opportunities wrestlers have.

Since the Internet is so ubiquitous, professional wrestling companies have no choice but to try to capitalize on the “behind-the –scenes” access the digital landscape provides fans. Many wrestlers, Like Kevin Owens, will use their social media accounts to make it seem that their actual personality is exactly like what is being portrayed on TV. This helps professional wrestling establish continuity and try to keep the suspension of disbelief going.

Another benefit of the expanding digital landscape has provided to the wrestling industry is providing easier access to multiple wrestling companies. This increase in variety helps smaller companies grow and promotes healthy competition. Smaller wrestling promotions that only operate in their immediate area like Pro Wrestling Syndicate, offer the episodes that air on their local TV channels as webisodes on their YouTube channel for anyone around the world to watch, increasing the company’s exposure. This is just one wrestling promotion that the expanding digital landscape has helped to stay alive.

The digital landscape grows larger everyday. From the dial tone and weak connection of the early 1990s, to the modern day Wi-Fi offered during air travel. These advantages have made life easier in many areas, however, it has also hurt many businesses to the point of extinction. The professional wrestling industry has shown that it has the ability to adapt to the expanding digital landscape, even though it means losing some of the industry's past advantages.